Let March put a spring in your step.
March is here, the worst of winter has been and gone (fingers crossed), and spring is peeking over the horizon. March’s unpredictable weather means there’ll no doubt be slushy snow and a bite in the air but things look to be heating up as our great city looks to be finally returning to normalcy.
Many of our favorite annual events and activities have been canceled or altered in some way over the last two years but now they’re all coming back thick and fast. So without further ado here are our top events and things to do in Chicago this March!
1. Experience “alpine in the city” at Maggie Daley Park before it closes
Whilst we are elated to be emerging from the Chicago winter, there are a few cherished wintertime activities that make it a magical time of the year in Chicago. One of these is certainly skating around the Maggie Daley ice rink. March is the last month to experience “alpine in the city” skating around the iconic quarter-mile rink in the heart of Chicago. The winding ribbon of ice curves up and down around a 40-foot climbing wall with the city’s stunning skyline in the backdrop. It’s a must-do and now it’s also free Monday-Thursday if you bring your own skates! It will close until next winter on Sunday, March 13th, 2022.
More information can be found here.
2. Go snow tubing!
If you’re the type of person who gets excited about equipping yourself with snow boots and frolicking in the snow rather than one who hibernates through winter we’ve got an excellent activity for you before winter is out.
When you’re enjoying the exhilarating extreme activities that the snow provides all sense of the weather’s frigidness seems to disappear as adrenaline and joy take over. Getting out and exercising is good for the mind and body and we all definitely need that kind of lift during the colder months.
While skiing and snowboarding are more challenging winter activities to learn, snow tubing has quickly become one of the fastest-growing recreational winter activities and it is easy to see why. All you have to do is grab a tube, have a seat, and let gravity be your friend. Thanks to Sourced Adventures’ Chicago Snow Tubing & Brewery Bus, Chicagoans can now escape the downtown monotony and embrace the chill up at Wilmot Mountain with a 2-hour snow tubing session followed by a visit to a local brewery with dinner and round-trip transportation!
More information and tickets can be found here.
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3. Enjoy an axe throwing experience at Kanya Lounge’s adult playground
If you’ve had enough of the cold but enjoy some adrenaline and competition another exhilarating experience can be found down at Kanya Lounge’s exclusive 2-story adult playground. Five Axe Throwing Lanes allow you to test your inner lumberjack and blow off some steam while a Rage Room Experience offers 3 unique custom-made rage rooms providing the ultimate stress reliever after the torrid months we’ve had. Either way, signature cocktails and a bucket of beers can be enjoyed in the bar and lounge area while you’re at it.
More information and tickets can be found here.
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4. Revel in Chicago’s famed St. Patrick’s Day celebrations
Of course, if there’s one event that dominates the headlines in March it’s Chicago’s iconic St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. With a historically large Irish population in our diverse and wonderful city, it’s no surprise Chicago’s usual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are of international renown.
For the last two years the pandemic has tethered celebrations to the bare minimum forcing mitigation measures that restrict crowds and thereby prohibit many of the parades and parties we look forward to. This year the river dying, that dates back to 1962, and all other parades and Irish festivities are returning to normal. Marching bands, bagpipes, dancers, and the whole explosion of green will be returning to the Loop as well as Chicago’s South and Northwest Side for the City of Chicago’s 2022 St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Though an exact time has yet to be confirmed, the Chicago Plumbers Union Local 130 will once again turn the river emerald green using a vegetable-based and environmentally friendly dye on the morning of Saturday, March 12.
More information can be found here.
5-6. Join a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl
The Irish have observed St. Patrick’s Day for over 1,000 years and though today St. Patrick’s Day is a tradition around the world, it is nearly always celebrated in the same jubilant way the Irish do it. How is that you ask? With music, drinking, dancing, and, of course, a whole lot of green. For that reason, bar hopping is often a go-to way of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, and this year there are wide a variety of Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawls offering a grand old time with your friends!
St. Patricks Day Lucky Charm Bar Crawls are taking place in Chicago’s most exciting neighborhoods including Wicker Park, River North, and Wrigleyville. Take an adventure around one of Chicago’s coolest neighborhoods, looking for drinks and treasure whilst enjoying drinks promotions, live music, and fun games at each venue.
Grab tickets to the St. Patricks Day Lucky Charms Bar Crawl in Wicker Parkhere, in River North here and in Wrigleyville here.
Another great bar crawl comes in the form of the Kiss Me, I’m Irish: Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl (2 Days). Barcrawlerz is a Chicago bar crawl like no other! Kiss Me, I’m Irish features the best drink specials and the best bars in town, where you’ll drink and dance to your heart’s content. Participating bars include Rock Bottom Brewery, Mother, Hubbards, Hubbard Inn, and Joy District.
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7. Hop on board a St. Patrick’s Day yacht party
For many Irish folks, St. Patrick’s Day is the most important day of the year, and that means celebrating it in style and splashing the cash. So if you’re looking to push the boat out on something a little big bigger than a bar crawl, look no further than the St. Patty’s Sunday Funday Green River Booze Cruise. There are few more memorable ways to celebrate than on a three-story luxury yacht cruising around Lake Michigan.
Enjoy a set with DJ Tecknique while talented videographers and photographers record all the special moments between you and your friends. Cover yourself in green, jump on board, and take in the Windy City’s sensational skyline with a drink in hand on Sunday, March 13th.
You can grab tickets to St. Patty’s Sunday Funday Green River Booze Cruise here!
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8. Check out the Princess Diana Exhibit coming to Chicago
For the first time ever, world-famous royal photographers (Anwar Hussein and his two sons Zak and Samir) shared their experiences with the iconic princess and her family in February and now dates have been extended through to April 24th due to popular demand.
Princess Diana, by most accounts, is the most photographed human in history. She grew up in the public eye. One of the people that was there capturing the biggest and most important moments was Royal Photographer Anwar Hussein. Later, his sons Zak and Samir joined the family business.
The exhibition is told from their perspective: what they heard, what they saw, what they witnessed first-hand will all be shared. This is not a story you have heard before. Whether you are a hard-core fan or new to her legacy, you will be blown away by the fascinating depth and detail shared by the Hussein family.
Grab tickets to the Princess Diana Exhibit before they gohere.
9. Transport yourself to 20th century Britain at the Charles Allis Art Museum
For another British experience a little drive away in Wisconsin, Dressing The Abbey: A Costume Exhibition offers you the chance to transport yourself to the early 20th century and relive your favorite memories and nostalgia of the costumes of Downton Abbey™.
The British television series explores the lives of its aristocratic inhabitants and their servants – together with the latest fashion trends. Through 35 bespoke costumes created for the series, the exhibition presents a fashion history of the period surrounding World War I, a period that changed the social fabric of Great Britain. A fine selection from the series’ wardrobe, including accessories and mannequins, reflects on the changing times through fashion from 1912 to the mid-1920s. Don’t miss this closer look into the award-winning costumes!
You can grab tickets to Dressing The Abbey: A Costume Exhibition here.
10. Kick back with goats and beer
Some days you just need some one-on-one time with a pasture full of adorable goats, you know? Experience the pinnacle of wholesomeness by hanging out with the billy kids over at GlennArt Farm and afterward, double down on those warm fuzzy feelings with a few flights of delicious craft beers on the rooftop of One Lake Brewing with this exclusive Brews n ‘Baahhs’ experience. If there’s one way to relax and let your mind unwind it’s with a pasture full of adorable billy kids followed up by a selection of craft beer.
Grab tickets to Brews n ‘Baahhs’ here.
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11-15. Be captivated by a Candlelight Concert
Chicago’s sublime Candlelight Concert series offers breathtaking spectacles throughout the year but this March there are some extra special concerts taking place in extraordinary venues all over the city. Flickering candles and melodic sounds combine phenomenally to create magnetic atmospheres in some of Chicago’s most unique spaces with surreal acoustics. Here are some of our favorite festive concerts taking place this month:
- Candlelight: Rock Classics on Strings at Salvage One
- Candlelight: Songs from Magical Movie Soundtracks at Oak Park’s Free Church
- Candlelight Ballet: Featuring Tchaikovsky and More at Oak Park’s Free Church
- Candlelight: Beethoven’s Best Works at the Wicker Park Lutheran Church
- Candlelight: A Tribute to Legendary Women of Jazz, Soul and R&B at Thalia Hall
See the full list of candlelight concerts taking place in Chicago here.
16. Enjoy an intimate live jazz show at Le Piano
When it comes to live music, few places offer a better jazz experience than Chicago. There are so many wonderful places to see live jazz in its rawest form here in the Windy City. Alongside esteemed venues like South Loop’s The Jazz Showcase, and Uptown’s Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, Le Piano has emerged as a phenomenal new jazz hideout.
In the middle of Le Piano sits a magnificent grand piano where some of Chicago’s most talented pianists and jazz performers come to play. Here you will find a mind-blowing musical experience merging dinner and intimate performances. Immersive Live Jazz & Dinner for Two and Immersive Live Jazz & Cocktails both ensure memorable nights of dining, drinking, and the magic of jazz in a truly vivacious venue.
Grab tickets for Immersive Live Jazz & Dinner for Two here and Immersive Live Jazz & Cocktails here.
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17. Visit The Art Institute of Chicago for free
As well as boasting an extraordinary live entertainment scene, Chicago is famous for its plethora of world-renowned museums. Perhaps its most famous – The Art Institute Of Chicago – is now offering free admission on weekdays until Thursday, March 17th.
The museum is permanently home to over 300,000 works of art including such pieces as American Gothic by Grant Wood, Nighthawks by Edward Hopper, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat, The Bedroom, 1889 by Vincent van Gogh and The Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso. Now Illinois residents can see these historic masterpieces without paying a thing.
To receive free admission, Illinois residents must reserve tickets online in advance where the Art Institute of Chicago will verify resident status using the zip code associated with the billing address provided.
More information can be found at www.artic.edu/visit/free-admission-opportunities.
18. Welcome back the Adler Planetarium
Another of Chicago’s famed attractions, The Adler Planetarium, is reopening this month after a two-year hiatus. The planetarium will reopen to visitors once more at the start of March and now boasts a brand new telescope in the Doane Observatory which holds the title of the largest public telescope in the Chicago area.
As well as a new observation park, guests will notice the planetarium’s shiny new dome roof which has been restored with brand-new copper tiles giving the 80-year-old dome an iconic new glow. The best news, however,n is that Illinois residents will be able to enter for free every Wednesday evening from 4-10 pm provided they bring proof of residency.
More information and tickets can be found at adlerplanetarium.org.
19. Dive deep with the Field Museum’s newest exhibit
Opened at the end of February, Field Museum’s new exhibit ‘Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep’ takes visitors on an underwater journey where they can encounter some of the most fascinating, fierce, and strange creatures that dominated Earth’s Jurassic seas while dinosaurs ruled the land.
It features over 100 fossils ranging from enormous marine reptiles to small, stranger creatures as well as huge replicas and CGI projections that offer visitors the chance to come face-to-face with some of history’s most terrifying marine predators to have ever existed.
That’s not all there is at the Field Museum. Spend as long as you like exploring the museum’s collection of more than 26 million artifacts. Get to know SUE, the world’s largest T. Rex, or stroll through the sparkling Hall of Gems. Time travel through 13,000 years of history in the Americas, from the Ice Age to Inca and Aztec temples. Don’t forget to meet Maximo, the museum’s newest titanosaur at over two stories tall! You can do all the above with a Field Museum All-Access Pass which includes access to all ticketed exhibitions and one 3D movie.
Grab a Field Museum All-Access Pass here.
20. Unleash your inner artist at a Spray ‘N’ Sip urban art workshop
If reading about all the museums and exhibitions have your creative juices flowing and there’s no better place to let your inner artist run wild than at Chicago’s incredible BYOB Urban Art Workshops. Taking place weekly within Studio W.I.P. at The Chicago Kedzie Plaza, there’s no pressure and no presumptions, just creativity and fun flowing in all forms. Trained professional artists will teach you the tricks of the trade as unleash your inner artist on a mural with your favorite drink in one hand and a spray can in the other.
Grab your tickets to a Spray Paint ‘n’ Sip Urban Art Workshop here.
21. Peruse the magnificent street art murals of Chicago
If you’re needing some artistic inspiration you need not look far in the Windy City. The consequence of a thriving artistic community is not just a plethora of museums and stunning art installations. Today the street art and graffiti scene in Chicago is alive and kicking more than ever before with new pieces popping up all over the city every week. Some of these are so esteemed that they’ve embedded themselves in the very fabric of Chicago and are now part and parcel of the Windy City’s identity.
With more formality and respect from the local community street art has thrived in Chicago over the last decade and with the events of the last two years many, many, astounding new murals have gone up of late. Today murals do more than just provide an extraordinary spectacle for our eyes. They pay homage to icons, fight for racial equality, celebrate different heritages, and honor the essential workers of our societies during turbulent times.
Hunting down the many masterpieces in our great city is a rewarding experience any time of the year.
Head to our roundup of 25 must-see street art murals in Chicago for some of the best.
22. Take an underground donut tour
For foodies who prefer to sample tasty delicacies over perusing extraordinary street art, a donut tour might be your version of a rewarding experience. Despite having a kaleidoscopic food scene offering all manner of savory and sweet treats, nothing in Chicago has truly celebrated donuts in all their glory, until now.
The Underground Donut Tour is Chicago’s first-ever donut tour and was born to give those who truly enjoy donuts the perfect excuse to sample the Windy City’s very best. At each location, you’ll be able to try a curated sample of one of that location’s best donuts with many offering vegan, gluten, or nut-free options. Tours include such favorites as Do-Rite Donuts, Firecakes, Stans, and Doughnut Vault as well as some lesser-known spots.
Grab tickets to a donut tour here.
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23. Enjoy a flight of beer at the Pilot Project Tasting Room
Another fun tasting experience if you’re letting yourself indulge a little this month comes in the form of a beer flight at Pilot Project Brewing. Pilot Project Brewing is a brewery incubator, tasting room & cafe located on Milwaukee Ave in Logan Square, Chicago. Pilot Project was launched as a collaborative and artistically curious space to help support talented brewers in an industry with exceptionally high barriers.
Modeled after the music industry, Pilot serves as a launchpad for start-up breweries, offering assistance with fine-tuning recipes, production, business development, marketing, distribution, and more. They are Chicago’s incubator dedicated to the art of brewing and a community inspired by the craft. Pick from 24 taps to make your perfect flight of beer and taste and compare with your besties
You can purchase a flight of beer at the Pilot Project Tasting Room here.
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24-26. Check out the multitude of events taking place at Chicago’s newest speakeasy
If you really want a buzz we suggest you head down to West Loop’s Grand Cabaret After Dark this month for a roster of rip-roaring revelry. Saturdays of this month you’ll find vintage evenings of cabaret, jazz, and magic in Chicago’s newest speakeasy followed by Peep Show Burlesque nights and then Boozy BBQ Drag Brunches on Sundays. All promise a mesmerizing experience in one of Chicago’s most exciting new venues.
Tickets and information for Grand Cabaret After Dark! can be found here.
Tickets and information for Peep Show Burlesque can be found here.
Tickets and information for Boozy BBQ Drag Brunch can be found here.
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27. See a burlesque and belly dance show at the Newport Theatre
Grand Cabaret is far from Chicago’s only speakeasy cabaret experience. Catch some of Chicago’s finest burlesque, belly dance, drag, and variety entertainers plus screenings of incredible digital content at The Newport Theatre’s Newport Peek-Easy Burlesque Show. Specialty cocktails, intimate tables, and a true speakeasy feel make this a night like no other.
You can purchase tickets here.
28. Enjoy Giordano Dance Chicago’s uplifting performances at “Illuminate” this spring
If you’re looking for an experience to bring the joy back, get ready for an unforgettable evening in Chicago that has been described as “joyous” and “power-packed.” Be prepared to be amazed as Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) enters its 59th season with Illuminate. The Harris Theater will come alive on Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, with the highly anticipated world premiere of “Retroverse.” Created by Giordano choreographer Autumn Eckman, the show will feature exquisite performances by extraordinary dancers that will surely uplift your mood with a powerful program.
Other notable highlights of the evening’s show include feel-good favorites like Ray Leeper’s “Feelin’ Good Sweet,” “Ritual Dynamic” by Jon Lehrer, and Joshua Blake Carter’s “3,” featuring music by jazz artist Laura Mvula. Plus, the contentious but exceptional “EXit4” created by Israeli-American choreographer Roni Koresh that the Chicago Dance Review described as “hostile, in your face sexy” will round out what is sure to be a memorable evening.
More information and tickets can be found here.
29. Chuckle away at Laugh Factory Chicago
We could all do with a chuckle with the tumultuous years we’ve had and luckily there’s no place better for that than Laugh Factory Chicago. Some of today’s biggest names and local comedians are delivering something for every taste and style throughout March. Every safety precaution has been taken to make sure you can enjoy live comedy safely and with the hysterical skits on offer, nights at Laugh Factory Chicago will have you forgetting all about the trials and tribulations of the last couple of years.
Grab tickets to a show at Laugh Factory Chicago here.
30. Revel in the pandemonium of a Drunk Shakespeare show
Another brilliant experience that guarantees a laugh this March comes in the form of a live Drunk Shakespeare show. Taking place on a stage in a hidden speakeasy located behind the Chicago Theater, guests will find a glam cocktail bar and library with over 10,000 books. Five classically-trained actors meet as members of “The Drunk Shakespeare Society”. One of them has had at least 5 shots of whiskey and then they (quite over-confidently) attempt to perform a major role in a Shakespearean play! Hilarity and mayhem ensue while the four sober actors try and keep the script on track. Every show is different depending on who is drinking… and what they’re drinking!
Grab tickets to a Drunk Shakespeare show here.
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31. Head out of the city and see Illinois’ natural spectacles
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- Garden Of The Gods: Saline County
- Wildcat Canyon In Starved Rock State Park: La Salle County
- Cache River State Natural Area: Johnson County
- Cave-In-Rock: Hardin County
- The Pomona Natural Bridge: Jackson County
- Cascade Falls In Matthiessen State Park: La Salle County
- Bork Falls In Ferne Clyffe State Park: Johnson County
More information can be found here.
32. Learn to make your own sushi
If the thought of being outdoors in the current climate is not appealing to you, learning to make sushi from the comfort of your own home might be the fulfilling activity you need. In this hands-on and interactive cooking class, a highly-experienced chef will teach you step by step how to make sushi rolls from scratch.
You will learn the basics of cooking and preparing the perfect sushi rice, practice knife skills to prepare the ingredients, and make a special dipping sauce. Then, of course, comes the most fun part: laying the seaweed papers and all ingredients onto the bamboo mat and rolling! Using fresh sushi-grade tuna, salmon, vegetables such as cucumber and avocado, and some secret ingredients presented by the chef, you will be surprised how easily you can recreate these recipes at home once you master the skills. It’s super easy and fun as a family activity, couple’s date night, or as a way to spend quality time with friends!
Grab tickets to a sushi-making class here.
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33. Warm-up and revitalize at Chicago’s most unique spa
These months are some of the most strenuous of the year, and though March is considered the start of spring, in Chicago it can still very much feel like the middle of winter. It’s around this time of the year that we need anything to lift our mind, body, and soul and there’s no better place to relax and unwind during these hostile months than at AIRE’s Ancient Baths.
Located inside a historic River West factory restored to its original splendor you can now find optimum relaxation within the exposed brick, wooden beams, and industrial columns of the building. Inspired by the traditional Roman, Greek, and Ottoman ancient experience of bathing, there is nowhere offering more peace of mind in the Windy City.
34. Treat yourself to a beer bath
Another unique spa option comes in the form of PIVA Beer Spa where guests can sink back into a huge larch wooden tub filled with near 100-degree beer, herbs, and hops. Whilst swearing that soaking in beer can have numerous benefits, PIVA Beer Spa provides a variety of services both beer-related and non-beer related from rejuvenating salt room experiences to luxury massages.
You’ll leave with all your winter ale-ments cured, feeling like royalty.
More information can be found here.
35. Attend the Queen’s Ball
Talking of royalty, your presence is soon requested at the most exclusive ball of the season! Next month this immersive Regency-era ball comes to Chicago and now is your chance to secure your invitation and wait to be transported to England’s Regency era with stunning decor and period costumes.
Prepare to mingle with other members of the Ton as you sip on cocktails and partake in an evening of music and dance. Rumour has it that Her Majesty Queen Charlotte is looking for the diamond of the season, but will you be the one to win her favor?
Grab tickets to the Queen’s Ball here.
See more: 10 Essential Chicago Bucket List Experiences For 2022
[Featured image from Shutterstock]